


A Dance

by Comrade Sakaki (Quantin_of_the_Lethe)



Series: Comrade Sakaki's Azumanga Daioh Canon [6]
Category: Azumanga Daioh
Genre: Canon Lesbian Character, Coming Out, F/F, Femslash, First Kiss, First Love, Love Confessions, School Dances, Trans Female Character, Transphobia, trans!sakaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26661037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quantin_of_the_Lethe/pseuds/Comrade%20Sakaki
Summary: Yukari announces that the class will be having a class dance. For Kaorin and Sakaki, and Yomi and Tomo, that means reckoning with the feelings they have for each other.
Relationships: Kaorin/Sakaki (Azumanga Daioh), Kurosawa "Nyamo" Minamo/Tanizaki Yukari, Mizuhara "Yomi" Koyomi/Takino Tomo
Series: Comrade Sakaki's Azumanga Daioh Canon [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2013553
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Dates

Yukari addressed the class one summer morning.

"Since this is an English class, I figured I'd personally teach you a bit about Western culture."

Murmurs immediately sprung throughout the class.

"By having a class dance!"

The murmurs turned into excited chattering.

"Yukari-sensei!" came a voice. Yukari had trouble sourcing it. It came from one of the boys.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Are you sure this isn't just a ploy to get a date with Minamo-sensei?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Yukari snapped back, her cheeks a fierce red. "Any other questions?"

Silence.

"Good. We'll be doing dancing lessons in PE for the next couple of weeks. You'll be practicing with your dance partners then."

"Miss Yukari!" came an extremely identifiable voice.

"Yes, what is it, Chiyo?"

"Will we be picking our partners or will they be randomly selected?"

"Hmm." Yukari thought a minute, her mouth slinking into a sly, knowing grin. "I'm feeling chaotic. Pick away."

* * *

The idea of a dance was so exciting that people had mostly picked out their partners by lunchtime.

"I can't believe that we get to _dance_!" Tomo exclaimed as she rode Yomi piggyback into the cafeteria.

"Yes, so exciting," muttered Yomi, masking her extreme nervousness at the idea through her usual deadpan.

It had been almost embarrassingly fast how quickly Tomo had asked her; literally turned in her chair and asked her on the spot. Yomi was hoping to ask one of the boys by herself, but at the rate at which dates were being set, she panicked and turned her down. Tomo took it without missing a beat, yet Yomi could hear...heartbreak? It's not like there wouldn't be some boy who didn't know any better who'd ask her out and get more than he wished for. Yomi wondered why it hit Tomo so hard. They'd been inseparable since elementary school, they would have to start doing things apart sometime, and she figured this was a good spot to try that out.

"Hey, at least you two _have_ dates," Kagura bemoaned. "Apparently I was a bunch of boys' second- or third-choice, but unfortunately getting dancing dates isn't a ranked choice ballot. There's no prize for finishing second."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kagura," Yomi said. "Surely they'll match you with someone when we start lessons?"

"Yeah, but it's not the same. I didn't really have anyone in mind on my end, my mind's been on training lately."

"To be fair, we don't have dates _yet_ , but we will by the end of today," Tomo said, shoving an entire soft-boiled egg into her mouth.

"Speak for yourself!" Yomi said. She didn't need to feel any more pressure than she did already.

"Weird that two of the best-looking girls in the class don't have dates yet," Tomo mused out loud into her rice bowl.

"Speaking of," Kagura said, "I wonder who Sakaki got."

The three of them looked at each other. "You mean she _doesn't_ have one _either_?" Yomi said in surprise. "The line to ask her out was almost out the door!"

"And Sakaki turned 'em all down!" said Osaka excitedly as she came in with Chiyo. "Told me she's _eyin'_ someone. Someone _special_." They all looked at each other with eyebrows raised in slight bemusement. "And what about you two?" Yomi asked, gesturing at Osaka and Chiyo with a chopstick. "Oh, we're dancing together," Chiyo said cheerfully. "I think Miss Yukari would only allow Miss Osaka to dance with me, anyway."

"You two _are_ pretty inseparable," Yomi said. "Although the fact you two got a date before the three of us is...sobering." Kagura shrugged. "I might not do it. Nyamo knows how important training is to me, she might let me pass by on something else."

"I wonder who Sakaki has her eye on," Tomo wondered aloud.

"That's what I'm wondering too," said Yomi. "I...didn't think she _had_ her eye on anyone." At that moment, Sakaki came in, saw them, nodded, and went off to the window to eat. A few seconds later came Chihiro and Kaorin, the former helping the latter walk through the cafeteria without ramming into something, or someone. Kaorin had a completely glassed-out look in her eyes, like she was about to faint.

"What happened to her?"

"She...um, asked Sakaki-san out to dance." The girls stopped eating, looked briefly at each other, and briefly towards Sakaki, who was staring out the window, before back to Chihiro and Kaorin.

"And?"

"She said yes."

* * *

The minute Yukari had announced a dance, Kaorin's heart had nearly exploded. A...a _dance_? She looked immediately at Sakaki, and to her slight horror found Sakaki looking at her, albeit out of the corner of her eye for just a split second.

 _Oh God,_ she thought, _does she...does she know I like her? Nobody knows. I haven't told anyone. Not even Chihiro. I haven't even written it down...I, I, Oh God, should I...should I *do* it? Should I actually *do* this? Nobody will think twice of it, right? There'll be girls with other girls, right? No, who am I kidding, no there won't. She'll go with some guy she likes, and it'll all just fade away..._

And then Sakaki started turning down every guy who asked.

_Wait, what?_

She saw Osaka approach her. She pretended to be attending to her papers and listened closely.

"So, couldn' help but see you turn all those guys away," she said.

"Yeah," came Sakaki's response. "I'm waiting for someone special." And then Osaka left with Chiyo.

This is it. This is it, Kaorin. This is your chance. For all the marbles.

She approached Sakaki, took a deep breath and asked, "Miss...Miss Sakaki?" The girl of her dreams turned to her. A small smile, as if to say _I'm pleased to see you_ , broke her face, and her cheeks flushed a little.

"Kaorin, how pleasant," came her characteristically deep alto voice.

"Would you, um..." Kaorin's heart was beating through her chest, her temperature rising. She gulped. "Would you like to dance with me?"

Sakaki looked at this small girl, who barely came up to her chest and yet was somehow still the same age as her. Her eyes were full of a pleading love, an admiration that she had held onto for so long and so badly wanted fulfilled. This girl...wanted her. Not her notes. Not her athletic skill. Her. Such a rarity. It seemed like everyone these days really just wanted something _from_ her. Kaorin...just wanted to be around her.

And Sakaki wanted Kaorin back. She hadn't really felt that at first, but recent developments in her brain had led her to think about Kaorin almost obsessively recently. She'd caught herself a few times in class staring off directly towards Kaorin's extremely cute figure. She'd shake herself out of it--what if someone _saw_ , dear God--blush, and come back to Earth. At night, she wouldn't _deliberately_ think about Kaorin, she'd just go to sleep, and Kaorin would appear in her dreams, and then in the morning she'd wake up to find that she'd made a small mess, and immediately feel extremely embarrassed and slightly guilty.

Back to Earth, Sakaki!

She looked again at Kaorin, her eyes wide in anticipation, a huge, nervous smile across her face, her knees slightly knocking.

"How could I say no?" Sakaki said, smiling at her gently, and then walking away.

Kaorin fainted. Chihiro had anticipated such.

"Well, well," she said, picking up her best friend.

"She...she said..."

"I could tell from the smile on her face what the answer was. Congratulations, Kaori!"

"I...can't believe..."

"That you asked someone on a date? Neither can I."

"Hey!"

"I'm teasing!" said Chihiro, laughing. "Kaori-chan, you need to take a joke!"

"I'm just...sensitive right now."

"Yes. Let's get you to lunch."

Kaorin nodded vaguely, her mind completely dissociated from reality. She couldn't see or hear the school. She just heard the distant pealing of bells, and saw a broad field of beautiful flowers.

* * *

_If there's anyone on this planet who needs a goddamned anime fang in real life,_ Nyamo thought to herself as she made herself dinner, _it's Yukari._

_BANG BANG BANG_

She groaned and rolled her eyes. Somehow she knew this by routine. "Look you can't keep showing up drunk all the ti--"

"Who said I was drunk?" came a completely sober Yukari. "I just...wanted to visit."

"Usually people call first."

"Phones make me nervous."

"Well, I'm just making dinner for myself."

"That's fine, I already ate."

Nyamo was now paying solid attention. Yukari was sober, and acting polite for once? Something was up.

"So what's up with you?"

"I'm giving my kids a chance to experience a school dance."

"Oh, is that why you're having me do dancing lessons with them?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, so, what of it?"

Yukari stared into space. "I tease about it, but...I've known about your feelings for a while, Minamo."

Nyamo's heart skipped a beat.

"A high school crush."

"Uh huh. You know, there's two girls in my class who I see going through the same thing. Saw it today, actually, though I don't know if they noticed me."

"God, don't compare me to Koyomi agai--"

"I meant Kaorin and Sakaki. Both are too scared to be up front about their emotions, so it comes out really awkward and slightly forced."

"Too scared, eh?" Nyamo looked at her tea.

"Yeah."

"So what you're saying is..."

"What I'm saying is I want to dance with you."

Nyamo stopped everything, except breathing, although that almost stopped too. Yukari was deadly serious. There was no sinister glint in her eye, no upturned corner of her mouth.

"Yukari...we're not in high school anymore, we have to be--"

"We have to be honest with each other, Nyamo."

"Surely y-you've moved on."

Yukari looked into the distance. "I thought I had."

"I haven't ever really gotten over you, you know."

"I know. You're not that hard to read."

Nyamo flushed. "I guess not, eh?"

Yukari sat next to her and laid her head on her shoulder. "So what do you say?"

"I say," Nyamo said with a smile, "We give it a try."


	2. Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content notice for transphobia and verbal abuse from a parent

One...two... _clunk!_

One...two... _clunk!_

One...two... _clunk!_

One...two... _clunk!_

"Are you _serious_ , you two? Can't you keep pace at all?" Nyamo asked as Osaka tripped over Chiyo's foot again. "I-I'm sorry, Miss Kurosawa!" Chiyo cried out as she helped Osaka up. "Miss Osaka seems to be...having trouble."

"Okay, so, take it one step at a time, then," Nyamo said, coming over to them. "Osaka, you lead." Osaka put her left hand on Chiyo's back and took her other hand. "Now," Nyamo guided, "Step...pivot... _good_ , Osaka!...and _turn_! Very good!" She clapped for them as Osaka took a deep breath and smiled at Chiyo. "Dancin's a lot easier when you have a guide," she said. "I get all mixed up trying not get our feets all tangled up."

"Yeah, that part's tricky," agreed Chiyo.

"That's why I'm having you two take it literally one step at a time. As you get up to pace, the motions will be more fluid." Nyamo went off to check on the others.

Sakaki and Kaorin were slowly getting the hang of it. As confident as Sakaki was in her posture, there was still a lot of doubt in her ability to lead. Kaorin was enjoying herself either way, so she didn't let it get to her too badly. She just firmly held onto her as they somewhat-clumsily moved about the gym.

"Feel the music within you!" Nyamo called out. "Let the pulse guide you!"

Sakaki let the music wash over her mind, putting out everything else but her and Kaorin. She didn't even really become super aware of how she was dancing, she just let the pulse guide her, as Nyamo had instructed.

"Miss Sakaki! Too fast, too fast!"

 _Oh?_ she thought, looking down. Kaorin was wheezing a little. "You just...started going...really fast...all of a sudden..."

"I'm sorry, Kaorin. Do you want to take a break?"

"Y-yeah, that'd be nice." They sat down on the side of the basketball court.

"So...astronomy?"

"Hu?" Kaorin said, realizing she was being asked a question. "Oh, yeah. I'm in the Astronomy Club."

"What's your favorite part of it?"

"I...um..." Kaorin became really nervous, scared she was going to be made fun of. "I really like trying to spot planets."

"I see Venus sometimes," Sakaki said.

"Yeah, Venus is really pretty," Kaori said, feeling a little warmer. "I've seen all of the Big Six. Some you need really good conditions for, though. And a good pair of binoculars."

"Big Six?"

"Oh, right. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus. The six planets you can _theoretically_ see with the naked eye."

"Which one is your favorite?"

"Hmmm. Neptune, the one you need a telescope to spot. I'm gonna try and spot it on our next observatory trip."

"I like Neptune, too. I've seen pictures. Very blue."

"It's so beautifully mysterious," Kaorin gushed. "Holst called it 'the Mystic'. This very distant world, beyond the reach of our eyes, and yet massive and dark and...yeah, _blue_."

Sakaki smiled. "I think about seeing the solar system sometimes, like if I was floating through space and saw the planets with my own eyes."

"I don't know if I'd ever recover from that, honest. Seeing these massive worlds personally...I would think I'd have died and gone to heaven. Then again, I feel that way whenever I look at the stars on a good night. It's so...humbling." She gulped. "We should go starwatching sometime."

"I'd love to do that."

Kaori blushed. "You...you really would want to do that?"

"Of course I would," she said with a smile. "I wanted to join the Astronomy Club too."

"Y-you still can!"

"Right now, though, we should be looking at getting back to class," and Sakaki helped her up.

"Oh," Kaori said, deflating a little. "Yeah, we should." But inside, fireworks were exploding. _Did...did Miss Sakaki just ask me out on a date?_ she thought.

 _Did she just ask me out on a date?_ Sakaki wondered. A date with Kaorin sounded like the epitome of cuteness. But for now, she needed to get her head on dancing.

Getting her head on dancing was something Yomi was struggling with a lot right now. On the outside, everything appeared fine, but on the inside it was complete chaos. Miniature versions of her were arguing with each other.

"You should've chosen Tomo!" said Yomi #1.

"No, dear God, no!" said Yomi #2. "We're _happy_ right now! _HAPPY!_ "

"Are we, though?" retorted Yomi #1.

Yomi thought to herself. Her 'date', who had been more or less assigned to her after she showed up to class without one, was perfectly fine, she guessed. He was pretty...nondescript. Then again, all of the boys at this school were. They all just seemed kinda there.

"Why didn't we choose Tomo?!" Yomi #1 yelled.

"Because Tomo needs to learn what it's like to be without us for once!"

Yomi looked at Tomo. She was _not_ having such a good time. She had years of training to know when Tomo was done with something, and she was exceptionally bad at hiding her displeasure. Her poor 'date'--again, who had been practically assigned to her--was obviously trying his best, but that wasn't going to satisfy her needs at _all_.

 _Hmmm_ , she thought to herself.

"Don't tell me you're actually _considering_ it!" Yomi #2 whined. "Don't you want to be free of Tomo's shackles? Don't you want a life of your own that's not defined by her chicanery? She's not even nice to you!"

"She's the only friend we've ever known! She is nice, she just has an inferiority complex and takes it out on others in a bad way! That doesn't make her a bad person!" Yomi #1 yelled back.

 _The two of you, shut up!_ Yomi thought. _I...I don't know how to feel!_

"Hey, are you okay?" asked the boy across from her.

"Hu?"

"You just seem...really out of it."

"Having an off day."

"Ah."

The dance was that weekend, and she absolutely didn't feel ready for it.

* * *

"Mom!" Sakaki called that evening. "Can I borrow some money for a dress?"

"A dress?" said her mom, with a slightly incredulous tone. "What on Earth for?"

"My English class is doing a ballroom dance for a cultural activity this weekend, and--"

"A dance, eh?" Her mom's eyes squinted and her tone tensed up. Sakaki felt a pit open up in her stomach, but she plowed ahead anyway. She had to. _For Kaorin_ , she thought.

"Yes, a dance."

"And I suppose you have a date for this dance."

"Yes."

"Did you ask my permission?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Why would I need your permission to do a class assignment?"

"That's not an excuse!" her mom snapped.

"I'm 17!" Sakaki retorted. "You can't keep holding me back like this!"

"Oh? And what if your date finds out about your defect?"

Sakaki went silent.

"You'll be thrown out of school! Imprisoned! I'll be castigated at work!"

"You've given me this speech a million times, Mom."

"Don't you talk back to me! God, all of this could've been avoided if you just chose to be a boy, but noooo, you just _had_ to choose to be a--"

"I didn't _choose_ to be a girl, okay?!" Sakaki yelled, tears in her eyes. "I _am_ one! I don't care if I have this...thing attached to me that magically makes me not one in your eyes! I'm a girl, whether you like it or not!"

"That may be so," her mom said, deadly quiet, "and the _law_ may be on your side, but I still control your life because you'll destroy both of ours with your carelessness. Now, you're going to tell your 'date' that you're not going to _any_ dances." Sakaki's heart just about burst open then and there. Honestly, she wished it had. It would less painful than her having to tell Kaorin that she couldn't go to the dance.

"Yes, Mother."

Then Sakaki got an idea. It wouldn't be going to the dance, but it could possibly save her weekend.

"Well then, can I at least go stargazing with the Astronomy Club this weekend?"

"Astronomy Club?"

"Yes. The school astronomy club. They go stargazing."

"As I would expect from an astronomy club."

"So...can I go?"

Her mom's eyes narrowed. "With the way you just talked back to me, you're lucky I'm feeding you tonight."

"Yes, Mother." Her heart sank again, and she started to make her way up to her room.

Once inside, she collapsed on her bed and started to sob uncontrollably.

* * *

"Wait, so you propositioned this whole ordeal and you don't even know how to dance?" Nyamo said incredulously.

"Eh heh...I thought you could teach me," said Yukari.

"Okay, look, if Osaka can do it, so can you."

And narrowly missing the coffee table, they waltzed around the apartment.


	3. The Day Before

Kaorin couldn't stop looking at Sakaki all day. Her mind was racing with what tomorrow night would look like.

_What are you thinking about, my love? I wish I could know...I wish I could unlock those layers you protect yourself with...protecting yourself from *what*, I don't know, but I would like to. I want to be a safe person for you. I want to be *everything* for you. I want to be the violets that greet you in the morning, the cats that make you smile, the moonlight that drapes over you as you sleep._

_I wonder what you feel like sometimes. Everyone seems to think you're so cold and scary, but I don't think so. I see warmth. I feel...invited. I see glimpses of a person you're hiding inside, and I want to help you unfurl and become that person. People say your hair is black as obsidian and just as sharp. I see softness and a magical safety blanket. I love your gentle voice. It makes me feel like I'm being wrapped up in your arms._

_Speaking of being wrapped up...I think so often about you touching me. Your hand in mine. Your arms around me. Feeling your breath on my neck. And if our last dancing lesson was anything to go off of, I think you think about that stuff too. I dream about you every night, you know...well, you don't know, this is in my head, but you get the idea. I-in my bed, holding each other, feeling our limbs entwine together magnetically. I want to hold onto you and never let go. I'm so hopelessly, disastrously in love with you, and you don't even know...well, you don't even know *yet*..._

_Should I give her flowers?_ she thought. _Yes...I'll pick some myself! I know a good place!_

Sakaki avoided any and all eye contact with Kaorin and stared out the window all day. She felt like if she looked at her, she'd burst into tears. She was stridently trying to stay focused on her lessons, and failing spectacularly. The inside of her mindscape was a barrage of post-rock and shoegaze.

_I should probably ask Kagura if she can take my spot...I'd feel awful if Kaorin didn't have *anyone*, and Kagura's nice enough._

That was her only coherent thought.

* * *

Halfway through math class, Tomo's mind started to drift. About on schedule, but the target of today's wandering was not what she expected. Yomi.

 _You know,_ she thought, _for all the shit I give her, Yomi's looking really good these days. She's got that 'cute thicc' look down pat. Could really snack on those thighs..._

She caught herself, turning red as a tomato. _Uh...dunno where that one came from. Wonder what's going through Osaka's mind right now. And who cares if her chest isn't as big as Sakaki's, I love it so much more!_

She paused again. _Oooooookay, brain, let's dial it back a bit._

_God, what I wouldn't give to pin Tomo against a wall and just--_

Yomi and Tomo made two seconds of fleeting, extremely embarrassed eye contact before quickly going back to the front of the class.

Did...did she just hear Yomi's thoughts? And worse, did that mean Yomi had heard Tomo's?

 _Do I...do I really feel that way about Yomi?_ Tomo thought. _I mean...I kinda always have, I just don't like thinking about it. Emotional attachment isn't good for me. Leads to people getting hurt. And if Yomi got hurt...I don't think I could live with myself._

 _Do I...do I really feel that way about Tomo?_ Yomi thought. _I mean...I kinda always have, I just don't like thinking about it. I don't know why she harasses me so badly...but it helps protect me. She's really such a blessing in disguise, a guardian angel, heh. Never thought I'd talk about her like that._ And then she went back to her math book. _God dammit!_ she grumbled. _Why can't I get her out of my head?_

She got up to go to the bathroom. She felt Tomo's eyes following her, but when she had a chance to look back, she was actually paying attention in class for once, albeit not having the best time doing so.

She ran her elbow across each stall door to make sure nobody was in them, and looked at herself in the mirror. "Okay, Koyomi, get a grip!" she told herself. Her cheeks were flushed to hell, and her eyes danced with sheer adrenaline and terror. "Okay, getting a grip isn't working!" She started splashing herself with cold water.

"Everything okay in here?"

To her horror, it was Tomo. She wasn't smiling.

"Errrrr..." Yomi panicked.

"Yomi, seriously, what's going on? You can tell me anything, can't you?" Tomo inched closer.

"Tomo, please, don't come any closer, I don't--"

"You don't what?"

"I don't trust myself not to--"

"Not to what?"

"Stop interrupting me!" Yomi yelled. Her breathing was extremely rapid. She pushed open the closest stall door. "In."

Tomo looked at the toilet, then at Yomi, toilet, Yomi. "Um...are you gonna dunk my head in the toilet?"

 _She is *really* good at ruining a mood,_ Yomi thought as she gritted her teeth a little.

Tomo stepped inside. Yomi followed, and latched the door shut. They were standing not two inches apart from each other. Tomo could feel Yomi's breath. Yomi's hands were clammy and her brow was sweaty.

"This isn't how I planned for it to happen."

Now Tomo was freaked out. "Um, planned for wha--" She was silenced by Yomi suddenly, forcefully grabbing her waist and kissing her. Yomi looked positively hungry, drinking in Tomo's cute, slender figure, images running through her head, desperate to make her squirm.

Tomo's eyes widened. "Oh," she said. "You know, you could've just--"

"You asked if I can tell you anything," Yomi growled.

"Eh heh...yeah."

"Well..." Yomi grabbed her best friend and pushed her into the wall, digging her hands into her hips as she pressed herself against her. She bit the nape of her neck, leaving a visible mark as she held her hand over Tomo's neck, pinning her to the wall. She trailed her tongue up to her cheek, leaving a small trail of saliva.

"Y-Yomi," Tomo gasped. "O-oh my God, gyah--"

Yomi then went for the money shot, and kissed Tomo with a ferocity the smaller girl had not thought possible.

Tomo's eyes went from fearful, to shocked, and then closed as Tomo returned Yomi's affection, their tongues dancing around each other delicately, Tomo's hands finding Yomi's back and holding on for dear life as she felt her brain soar over a waterfall.

"I prefer to show, not tell," Yomi said as she pulled off.

"So do I," Tomo replied softly, as she kissed Yomi back.

"I guess that's one way to say 'I love you', huh?" Yomi said with a cracked smile. Tomo smiled slightly.

"Heh. Yeah."

Brief silence.

"There's something I--" Yomi said.

"I mean, you _did_ just make out with me in a bathroom stall."

"Can I just do the love confession without you butting in, wildcat?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Yomi held Tomo by the waist, and looked into her eyes. "Tomo Takino, I've always loved you."

Tomo looked back at her, tears welling up. "I have always loved you, Yomi Mizuhara."

"My wildcat," Yomi said as she stroked her fingers through Tomo's hair and kissed her again.

"As much as I love being in this bathroom stall with you..." Tomo said.

"The teacher is probably wondering where we are, heh."

"Yeah, it feels like it's been hours."

"Being with you has that effect sometimes."

"Hey," Tomo laughed as she softly punched Yomi in the arm.

They entered the classroom together, which probably wasn't the best idea at the time, but nobody really paid any attention to it. _I'll just ask Sakaki for help later,_ Yomi thought.

 _I'll just copy off of Yomi later,_ Tomo thought.

But their absence didn't go unnoticed by one person. Osaka put a curious finger on a strange mark she saw on Tomo's neck.

"Tomo, wha' happen--" She was silenced very quickly by Tomo, and she decided to drop it.

* * *

"Hoooof, what a day!" Chiyo said as she joined the others outside school for the walk home. "Where are Sakaki and Kagura?"

"I'm not sure," Yomi said. "They'll probably catch up."

"Yeah, they'll be fine," called Tomo, running up to them.

"What's got you in a mood?" Chiyo asked.

"Oh, nothing," Tomo said gaily, giving a knowing look to Yomi.

"I'm excited for the dance tomorrow," Osaka said. "Chiyo and I have gotten real good!"

"Haha, yeah!"

* * *

"What did you want to talk to me about, Miss Sakaki? And why is Miss Kagura here, too?"

Sakaki started to cry. Time to rip off the bandage.

"I can't go to the dance with you." She exploded into tears. "My mother told me I can't go."

Kaorin was heartbroken, but at least it wasn't because Sakaki didn't want to dance with her. Small concession, though. "I-it's okay, M-Miss Sakaki," she said. "There will be other t-times."

Kagura stepped forward. "Sakaki asked me if I'd be okay with being her replacement, so I figured I'd ask you," she said gently. "I know I'm not her, but..." Kaorin was touched by Kagura's offer. "I'd rather go to the dance than be stuck at home."

"I'll see you tomorrow night, then," Kagura said with a sympathetic smile. She left Sakaki and Kaorin to have some time to themselves. Once she'd vanished from sight, they embraced tightly.

"I'm so sorry I've failed you," Sakaki said tearfully.

"Y-you haven't," Kaorin said, failing to keep it together. "You have never failed me."

"I'll make this up to you. Somehow."

"How?"

Sakaki thought. "Hm." Then she had an idea, harebrained as it was. "I'll text you tomorrow?"

"Okay."

"Hey, Kaorin?" Sakaki said as Kaorin began to walk home.

"Yes?"

Sakaki thought for a minute. "Nevermind. I'll tell you tomorrow." She gave her a smile, which did help mend Kaorin's broken heart a bit. "Wanna walk home together?"

"That would be really nice," Kaorin said.


	4. Love and Planets

Yomi had not felt this nauseous since the last time she was sick. These weren't butterflies in her stomach, but large moths. _What in the hell am I gonna do?_ she asked herself as she looked herself in the mirror. She wasn't sure she could process what happened yesterday without Tomo present, and she had to keep her mind on the dance. Oh God, the dance...how was she going to be able to dance with some guy she didn't even know, with her mind completely enveloped with thoughts about Tomo?

Every step she took towards the school that evening felt wrong. Every atom in her body told her to not go. Should she make herself vomit and call in 'sick'? It'd saved her from these moments before. But it felt wrong. Someone, her dance partner, was relying on her being there. She hadn't chosen him, God knows, but it still felt self-centered to even consider calling in ill. But at the same time, she was literally hearing the Dies Irae chant as she took each step. It felt like she was walking to her execution.

Suddenly, _gaWHUMP._

"WAAAAAAAGH! TOMO!" The smaller girl had jumped onto Yomi's back piggyback-style, causing Yomi to lose her balance for a second.

"Hee hee hee, flats give me prime sneaking stat boosts!" giggled her best friend, who got off her back and made a pose in front of her. She had actually done _something_ to her hair (it was slightly less unruly than usual) and the dress she was wearing was this adorable pastel yellow sleeveless with a big bow on the waist. In other words, she was stunning.

"T-Tomo..."

"What's the matter?" she teased, pushing her chest together with her arms and striking another exaggerated burlesque pose. "Too voluptuous for you?"

Yomi snorted. "Almost the opposite." _But mightily delicious nonetheless..._

"You excited for this dance at all?"

"I'm not sure _excited_ is the word I'd use. More like _nauseous_."

"Yeah, you got assigned one of the boys, too, huh?" Tomo didn't even try to hide her disdain for such a concept as men. Yomi was quietly envious.

"Yeah."

They walked in silence for a few minutes, before Tomo huffed angrily. "AAAAAARGH!"

"What's going on?"

"You! You're what's going on!"

"Tom--"

Tomo interrupted her by grabbing her hand and pulling her off to the side. She looked down the street one way, and then the other, to make sure they were alone. She then grabbed Yomi's waist and pulled her into a kiss. When they pulled apart, Tomo looked at her with a furious expression. She hadn't seen her this angry since the vending machine ran out of milk tea after only filling up her cup a quarter of the way.

"Did that feel good, Koyomi?" she seethed. Tomo never used her full first name unless she was absolutely serious. "Did it feel good to kiss me? Did you feel something primal stir inside you like I did? Did it warm your heart like it warmed mine?"

"Yes, it did!" Yomi yelled quietly. "It did feel good, it felt amazing, I felt completed, I felt awakened, and that's exactly the problem! I'm not _supposed_ to feel those things! I'm not allowed to!"

"And breaking the rules is scary to you," Tomo said. "You've never done it before. To me, it's second-nature. I've always liked girls, and I'm smart enough to know to not make that super public. The thing about being a rules-flouter? You stop holding yourself to society's expectations of you."

"What about your expectations of you?" Yomi shot back.

"Don't change the subject, Koyomi, I'm talking about _you_ here!" Yomi's attempt to get under Tomo's skin the only way she knew how--through her insecurities--was not going to work. The wildcat must've had caffeine beforehand, because she was on a roll. "If you don't like girls, then how do you explain yesterday? I remember the things you said. I remember because I kept playing that scene over and over in my head as I lay in bed that night! You said you loved me. You made me feel things I didn't know I could feel. You...you called me _your_ wildcat. Do you know how that made me feel? It made me feel like I was on top of the world! I...I want to be yours, I want to be your wildcat..."

"I-I meant the things I said yesterday," Yomi said, panicking. "I just...I'm scared, Tomo. That's all. I'm scared. I'm very scared." She started to cry. Tomo took her hands.

"Do you remember where I found you? All those years ago?"

"Heh," Yomi said, remembering. "In a garbage can on the elementary school roof."

"And were you scared then?"

"Yeah. A lot. Those bullies had me pretty good."

"And were you scared after?"

"No," Yomi admitted. "You got them back pretty good."

"So," Tomo said, her voice quiet, "why would that change now? What makes you think I'm gonna run?"

"What makes me think you're gonna run?" Yomi repeated incredulously. "You always run! Your first instinct is run! You've been running for years, and leaving me to clean up all your messes!"

"Yeah, you know what?" Tomo admitted. "You're right. I do run. I have always ran. I have been running for years. But you also know what?" Tomo got really close. "I'm tired of running. I plan on running only one more time, and it's not gonna be from you." Yomi wondered what _that_ meant. "I want to date you. I want to kiss you forever. I want to be with you, Koyomi. I have no intention of abandoning you when the going gets tough."

"Might be a first for you."

"Heh," Tomo chuckled dryly. "Love makes you a different person. What can I say?"

Yomi took Tomo's hand and they walked together. She voiced a thought that had petrified her.

"What if we're outed?"

"Then we'll take 'em on together," she said with a determined look on her face and that confidence Yomi found so reassuring.

"So, whaddya say? Should we still do this stupid dance?"

Yomi cracked a wicked grin. "Nah, let's go back to my place."

Tomo giggled. "Good answer."

About fifteen minutes later, Yomi barged through the front door carrying Tomo, making a beeline for her room.

"Hey, girls," Yomi's mom called cheerfully. "Why, Tomo, how pleas--"

The door slammed shut.

"The dance was a success, I see," she said, looking at her husband, who only smiled in response.

Once inside, Yomi put Tomo down on the bed. In one fluid, practiced motion, all of her clothes, save her glasses and intimates, came off. Tomo whistled. "Why don't you show me how to do that someday?"

"Or," Yomi said with a sultry voice, "I could do it to you right now. I don't think I can wait long enough for you to do it yourself."

Tomo smiled. "I can't wait, either."

Yomi turned out the light.

* * *

As far as dance partners were concerned, Kaorin could've landed far, far worse than Kagura. Sure, she wasn't as into the music as Sakaki--Kagura had mostly sat out dance lessons in favor of working out--but she was genuinely into it and tried to make it a good experience for her. It helped that Kagura was a girl, and a good-looking girl at that. Not that Kaorin's heart was starting to wander, but she couldn't fathom how miserable she'd be if she had to dance with a boy instead.

"I gather Ryukyuans don't do a lot of ballroom dancing?" Kaorin said, trying to make small talk. Kagura laughed heartily. "You're funny. No, we don't. Our dancing tends to be more...energetic."

"I could really go for energetic right now, to be honest," Kaorin muttered. "The life of the party seems to have died last century." The cavernous gym was occupied by only a handful of kids who'd actually bothered to show up--Tomo wasn't there, which wasn't surprising, but Yomi wasn't either, which was--so it was mostly a couple of dancing couples awkwardly moving about the gym (including, Kagura noted, Yukari and Nyamo) with the others kinda just hanging around and chatting.

"It really does seem that way," Kagura said. "So...Sakaki, eh?" It took Kaorin a panicked second to realize Kagura was trying, in her way, to make small talk back.

"Eh? Yeah. Yeah..." she replied forlornly. Sakaki had said she'd text her when she was ready, and that hadn't happened yet. "I'm...waiting on a text from her, right now actually."

"Why do you like her?"

"It--It's really hard to explain. It's like, when you're looking in a pond and you see the moon reflected in it, bold and daring, but also embracing and comforting, and--"

"Okay, Sappho, I get the idea," Kagura laughed. "Geez, you really hard head-over-heels for her."

"Yeah," Kaorin said. "Why do you like her?"

"Huh? Me? Oh, I just think she's hot."

Kaorin snorted. "You're nothing if not honest."

"And athletic!" she added indignantly.

"Yes, and athletic."

"Look, Kaorin..." Kagura pulled her aside. "With Sakaki...less is more. She likes being called cute, and likes cute things, so you should be fine. She likes and appreciates the smaller things in life." Kaorin took a second to realize Kagura was attempting to be her wingman. Also...did she just call her cute?

Just then, her phone buzzed with a text.

"Is that...?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take my leave, then. See you around. And Kaorin? Good luck." Kagura then put her tracksuit over her dress and left out the back. Kaorin checked her phone.

_Hey. Meet me in the park close to my house._

* * *

_Less is more,_ Kaorin repeated to herself. _She likes being called cute. She appreciates the small things in life._ Here was the park...and there, with a telescope, was Sakaki.

"A telescope? Sakaki, you didn't have to! Those are expensive!"

"Only the best for you," Sakaki smiled. "I borrowed it from the school. My mom wouldn't even let me go to the mountain for astronomy club starwatching, but I managed to convince her to let me go out here to the park. In fact," she said, turning red, "she's probably watching us right now..." Kaorin turned her head slightly and looked out the corner of her eye, and sure enough, she could see Sakaki's mom watching them like a hawk.

"I don't mean to be disrespectful--" she began.

"--but my mom is a tyrannical old biddy?" Sakaki finished. Kaorin looked at her in shock. Sakaki's voice was low and deep enough that there was no way her mom could hear, but she was still taken aback that she would say such a thing about her own mother. Not that Kaorin could _not_ completely relate, but...

"I, uh, wouldn't quite put it that way, but yes."

"She's been like this since I was little, and if you can believe it, she used to be worse."

"Why is she like that?" Kaorin asked. Sakaki thought, for a very brief flash, if she should tell Kaorin her secret, and decided against it...for now. "I'll tell you some other day. For now, the sky awaits us."

Kaorin was disappointed Sakaki wouldn't tell her, but also trusted her enough to know that she _would_ tell her. "You picked a great night for it."

"Guide me, Skywatcher," Sakaki said, watching Kaorin intently as the small girl fiddled with the telescope settings.

"So first things first. A telescope's purpose is to capture light. That's why we use filters and magnitudes."

"To adjust how much light is captured," Sakaki said. "And the more light a telescope captures, the more sky we see."

"Something like that. Now, there's gonna be some things we can't see tonight. Mercury is extremely hard to spot and you kinda have to be in the right place at the right time to catch it. Venus we can see with the naked eye."

"Yeah, it's right...there!" Sakaki said, smiling, pointing to a static point of light just above the trees.

"Yeah, good job!" Kaorin said. "Mars is in a tough spot tonight, but I _think_ we'll be able to see some gas giants tonight."

"Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus?"

"Yup. So Jupiter's gonna be about 10 degrees northwest of the moon. Slightly to the upper-left. Look for the point that looks like a star, but isn't twinkling."

"Uhhh..." Sakaki moved her arm slowly, trying to find it. Kaorin gently guided her arm up. "There, Sakaki! See?"

"Barely."

"That's why we have tools to help us." Kaorin gestured to the telescope. Sakaki kneeled down and looked through. On the other end, bright as can be, was the King of Planets, a gigantic dusty red-and-brown swirling marble. "I see it! I see it!" Sakaki said excitedly. "Oh my God, I can see Jupiter!" She was crying with joy. "It's the most magnificent thing I've ever seen!"

 _You're the most magnificent thing I've ever seen,_ Kaorin thought. _Wait, Kaorin. Don't push it. Small things in life, remember?_

"You're the cutest thing _I've_ ever seen," she blurted out. _DAMMIT!_ Sakaki looked at her.

"I'm...cute?"

"Of course you are!" _Welp, we're here now._ Sakaki blushed deeply. "You...you think I'm cute?"

"Extremely. The cutest."

"You're not saying this to make fun?"

"Why would I ever make fun of someone as gorgeous and stunning as you?" Kaorin made a mental note to wash her mouth out with soap when she got home as punishment.

"But...you're the cute one. I'm not cute."

Kaorin clamped her mouth shut. She filed away the memory of Sakaki telling her she was cute to be played on repeat as she went to sleep.

"Hot take, what if we were both cute?" she decided to respond.

Sakaki thought for a minute. "Sure. I can live with that."

"Good. Here's Saturn. Oooh, the rings are out in full force!"

As the night continued on, Sakaki wished more and more her mom would just go away. She wanted to tell Kaorin everything. All of her feelings. No such luck. That would have to wait for another day. But there was one thing her mom couldn't take away from her. She produced a large blanket and a portable CD player.

"Let's just stargaze, Kaorin."

"Hey, Sakaki?"

"Mm, yes?"

"Call me Kaori."

And they laid together on the blanket, listening to Holst's _The Planets_ , chatting the night away and pointing out constellations. Sakaki's inner turmoil was briefly replaced by a massive contentment. _Until possible,_ she thought, _I'll pass off Kaori as a friend._

Surreptitiously, she took Kaorin's hand into her own. Kaorin nearly had a heart attack.

"Sa-Sakaki!"

Smiling, Sakaki held a finger over her mouth. The music was playing!

"Mother's watching. Just play it cool."

Kaorin understood, and went back to having the best night of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking a while to update. I actually finished this on the 4th, but our internet went out and I wasn't able to post.


End file.
